Assistant Legal Counsel

• Job Code: U8784
• Pay Grade:UJ
• Pay Scale:$120,967.13-$197,269.48 Annually
• Exempt:Yes

Overview

Perform a variety of complex civil and criminal legal services within the Legal Office at the Sheriff’s Office.

Duties & Responsibilities

Note: Depending on assigned responsibilities, employees may perform some or all of the duties below.

• Act as lead counsel during litigation and prosecution/defense of civil actions on behalf of the Sheriff's Office in state and federal courts, attending court proceedings and keeping the Sheriff and command staff informed of the progress and outcome of such matters.

• Accurately review a variety of legal matters including personal injury and other civil litigation matters, contracts, agency liability issues, general orders, policy and procedures, public records requests, federal litigation, appellate matters, and labor and employment issues.

• Advise the Sheriff and staff on all legal issues involving the Sheriff's Office.

• Assist command staff with decision making on issues where no guidelines or policies exist by researching and analyzing issues/problems and providing valid and defensible legal opinions and information in both oral and written formats to assist in arriving at the most appropriate decision consistent with agency vision, mission, goals, and the law.

• Research topics or incidents and related documentation/case histories and render legal opinions consistent with applicable laws, policies, procedures, or regulations to authorized members of the agency regarding personnel issues, training, corrections, fiscal, civil process, law enforcement and/or other appropriate issues.

• Research and compare current policies and procedures with federal and state law, identify any inconsistencies, and recommend changes where applicable.

• Prepare and review contracts for completeness, accuracy, state statute compliance, and/or conformance with bidding specifications, purchasing guidelines, and governmental agency regulations sending non-compliant and/or deficient contracts back to the originator for revision and further review as appropriate.

• Accurately interpret contracts to ensure the interests of the Sheriff's Office are legally protected.

• Effectively monitor existing contracts and participate in contract negotiations to ensure all contractual obligations and specifications are met and in accordance with agency policies and procedures and any other applicable laws or regulations.

• Review and respond to public records requests in a timely manner gathering all pertinent data, redacting statutorily designated non-releasable information, and providing accurate and sound legal opinions that are consistent with the public records law and other appropriate legislation, policies, and procedures.

• Prepare accurate and informative legislative summaries containing the key points of the legislation and the potential agency impact.

• Coordinate with the appropriate subject matter expert or legal personnel and prepare comprehensive, timely, accurate proposed new or revised legislation for processing and/or review as required.

• Accept, sign for, and review, in a timely manner, any legal documents received by the Sheriff's Office; coordinates any legal documents and/or actions received by the Sheriff's Office.

• Coordinate, investigate, and/or copy requests by attorneys for any legal documents and/or actions for the Sheriff's Office.

• Review seizures of currency, tangible personal property, vehicles, and real property under state and federal forfeiture laws for legal sufficiency.

• Litigate forfeiture actions taken by the Sheriff's Office, attend hearings on forfeiture actions, and keep the Sheriff and command staff informed of forfeiture actions taken by the Sheriff's Office.

• Successfully complete all assignments to specifications, within specified timeframe and budget as directed and in accordance with agency policies and regulations.

• Be available on a twenty four hour basis to respond to field situations having potential civil liability and initiate investigations to protect the interest of the Sheriff and/or Hillsborough County.

• Perform other related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Considerable knowledge and practical application of various and often complex federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances.

• Considerable knowledge and practical application of various applicable case law and procedural rules.

• Ability to handle confidential information.

• Ability to read, analyze, interpret, and write the most complex documents.

• Ability to provide an analysis of the law based on the facts of given situations to recommend practical solutions to problems within legal guidelines.

• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

• Ability to work effectively with others.

• Ability to use a computer and related software.

Working Conditions

• Working within a law enforcement office environment and a courthouse/court complex.

• Remaining in a stationary position for extended periods of time at a workstation or courthouse/court complex.

• Occasionally engaging in light physical exertion (e.g., lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight from 5 to 10 pounds).

• Participating in an on-call status, available 24 hours a day for Sheriff’s Office legal consultation.

• May be required to work non-standard hours including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Minimum Education & Experience

• A Juris Doctorate from an accredited institution of higher education.

• Five years of experience as an attorney.

• Be a member of the Florida Bar in good standing.

Additional Job Requirements

• Attendance at the specified Sheriff's Office work location is required.

• Depending on assignment, employees may be required to possess a valid Florida Driver License at time of employment. Driving history will be thoroughly reviewed and may be grounds for disqualification.

• No visible tattoos on face, head, and neck. Tattoos determined to take away from the professional appearance of the Sheriff’s Office must be covered with an appropriate white, black, or neutral covering.

• No illegal drug sale within lifetime.

• No illegal drug use within the past 36 months. No marijuana use within the last 12 months.

• No felony convictions within lifetime.

• No misdemeanor convictions involving perjury, false statement, or domestic violence within lifetime.

• No dishonorable discharge from any branch of the United States Armed Forces, the United States Coast Guard, National Guard, or Reserve Forces.

• Successful completion of a background investigation including criminal, reference, employment, and neighborhood checks; polygraph; medical evaluation; and drug screening.

• Live within Hillsborough County or within Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Lake, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, or Sumter County as long as the residence is located within the 60-mile parameter of Falkenburg Road Jail at the time of appointment/employment (certified only).

• In the event of an emergency or disaster, may be required to respond promptly to duties and responsibilities as assigned by management chain, Division/District Commander, or the Sheriff (or their designee). Such assignments may be for before, during or after the emergency/disaster.

The duties and responsibilities on this job description represent the essential functions that an employee must be able to satisfactorily perform with or without reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodations shall be made upon request to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue agency hardship. The Sheriff’s Office retains the right to change or assign other duties to this job as necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Admission to the US District Court-Middle District of Florida.

• Civil litigation-insurance defense experience.

• Trial and/or prosecution experience.

• Experience working for a law enforcement agency.